Family Ties
by Gothic984
Summary: Lucas and Gail have to deal with their unwelcome guests.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories and follows on from Christmas Antics.

It was a bitter cold morning in Trinity South Carolina, most of the Town's residents were off the streets and tucked up securely in bed with their families. A strong breeze icy wind blew through the open bedroom window of the Master bedroom of the Buck Mansion, causing the thick beige velvet curtains to move from side to side. The unruly sound awoke the Master of the domain; however, Lucas Buck could not motivate himself to get out of bed to close the window.

Christmas had flown by in a blur and the new year was fast approaching. Lucas welcomed the new start that this time of year always brought and he was determined to try harder to ensure his Town got back to normal, after the whirlwind of events they had experienced this year.

Lucas he had heard Caleb wake up a few minutes earlier and quietly sneak down the stairs. His son appeared to be attempting to assist more often than usual, after being spoilt at Christmas. It was nice to see him genuinely happy and wanting to help the family, it was important that they remained together always with a united front.

He was surprised that his son had not attempted to wake them, as he liked them to make breakfast together; however, the boy was being very behaved for the time being and leaving them alone, that was more than he could say for their unwelcome guests.

Both Fathers had been as rowdy as ever until the early hours of the morning, causing his love to remain awake most of the night. This situation was not ideal, far from it; however, Lucas had gotten used to unwelcome spirits invading his privacy from a young age and he would not allow this intrusion to affect him.

It was harder for Gail, she had shielded herself from this sort of thing until the last year or two and she had not taken well to the sudden appearance of their Fathers. Add in the fact that they did not appear to be leaving any time soon and her mood of late had not been very welcoming.

Gail stirred in the bed beside him and pulled the covers tight over her shivering body, to shield herself from the cold air in the room. Lucas knew the goose-pimples on her skin were not just down to the cold breeze and pulled her back into his chest, then began kissing her neck softly. He smiled when she let out a low moan and ran his fingers gently up the side of her leg, before moving them beneath her nightdress and stroking her sweet spot slowly.

'You can't be serious' Gail sighed, as she clutched the covers tight around her body and tried to push his hand away. After the shock of both of their Fathers showing up on Christmas Eve, she had not in the mood for this behaviour recently and just wanted to pull the covers over her head to block out the world.

Lucas sensed her feelings and smiled mischievously. He would not allow her to retreat into herself and push him away like she had done on many of occasions before. They had made an effort to make this time of year special for their family and this was their home, not the in-laws. Without a second thought, he burrowed under the covers and parted her legs, then began licking her sweet spot. When she tried to pull herself away from him his grasp, he gripped her hips tight and kept her firmly in place while he had his fun.

Gail laughed in disbelief at how easily her body betrayed her. In the beginning she would have fought harder to remain in control, making sure she had the upper hand in every sexual endeavour; however, that time had long past and she had given her soul over to her Adonis willingly, meaning this was fair game.

Lucas sensed her acceptance and quickened the movements of his tongue, yearning for her climax to come soon so he could enter her and have some real fun. When she pulled the pillow over her mouth to stifle her calls, he climbed on top of her and pushed his hard manhood inside of her. 'See, nothing's changed and this is our time' he whispered in her ear reassuringly, when he heard her loud satisfied moan.

Gail took in a deep breath, then shook her head at his positive attitude and focused on the feeling of him inside of her. He had a way of making every concern she had melt away when they were in these embraces and she wished she could stay here forever.

'Oh we ain't goin' anywhere Darlin'' he laughed, reading her thoughts and began kissing her passionately.

'Hear that Princess? Your Knight in shining armour is here to save the day!...Well, at least while you're keeping his end wet on a regular basis' Peter Emory said crudely and laughed as he stared out of their bedroom window at the leaves blowing through the garden.

Both Gail and Lucas froze at the sound of his voice, then stared at each other cautiously as both of their darkness' flared up inside of them.

'I think I'd prefer that pretty little School Teacher, I bet she's got a tale or two to share about my sons twisted cravings' Malcolm shrugged, standing over Luke's cot and staring disgustingly at his second born Grandson. A second son was an abomination to their bloodline and he could not believe his boy had broken the rules in such a way.

Lucas closed his eyes at the sound of his Fathers voice in his bedroom and went to release his twin; however, Gail stroked his back softly, in an attempt to calm him down and shook her head in warning.

'I don't know, my Gail is a trier, she strives to be the best in all endeavours and I bet she's already proven she's willing to go the extra mile to keep ahead of the competition' Peter smiled and shot his daughter an amused wink.

Gail could not control her shudder at her dead Father regarding her in such a way and was about to lose control of her darkness, when a loud knock came on the bedroom door. As quick as they appeared, Malcolm and Peter disappeared leaving Gail and Lucas staring at each other furiously.

Caleb entered the room slowly when he heard Luke start to cry and noticed Lucas on top of Gail. He let out a surprised breath and turned around, not wanting to catch sight of something he shouldn't.

Lucas slowly pulled out of Gail and shook his head in disbelief, he was about to shout at Caleb for entering uninvited; however, Gail placed her hand over his mouth and pushed him down on the bed.

'It's alright Caleb, we were only discussing the plans for today' she lied sweetly, as she climbed out of bed and put on her robe.

Caleb turned towards his cousin and smiled embarrassed. 'I thought y'all were still asleep, I didn't mean to barge in on you' he apologised.

Gail forced a reassuring smile, then threw Lucas his robe before walking towards Luke's cot. 'No harm done, this is your home too and there's nothing to be sorry for. Are we ready for breakfast?' she asked, sensing the reason for his intrusion.

Caleb let out a relieved breath when his cousin was not mad at him, then gave her a long hug and nodded. When she signalled for him to head downstairs, he did as instructed and left them alone.

Gail let out a long sigh and turned towards Lucas. 'Nothing's changed huh?' she asked sarcastically, then carefully picked Luke up from his crib and followed Caleb.

Lucas lay on his back in the bed and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. It appeared these uninvited spirit's could not be ignored after all.

* * *

Ben sat with his daughter Izzy on his knee in the park with Billy, watching Ben Jr ride his new bicycle. He had not wanted to spend so much money at Christmas, considering he was trying to save for a wedding so he could propose to the Mother of his baby girl; however, Rita had told him to spoil his eldest while he had the chance and he was thankful for her understanding.

It had been a strange year for them all and Ben was amazed they had made it through unscathed. He had been blessed with his daughter, Gail brought Luke into the world and nearly lost her life in the process, Billy became Head Doctor of Juniper House, Lucas and Gail got married, Matt and Merlyn got together, Selena had been in countless accidents, the rejuvenation of Goat Town had started and he was hoping to marry the woman he loved. There had been a number of questionable deaths in Trinity this past year, not to mention the Mayor's heart giving out on the night of Lucas' 50th birthday and even though his instincts had screamed at him to dig into these particular happenings, he had chosen to put his family first and focus all of his energy on them.

'Family's the most important thing Benji, don't you ever forget it' Lucas said candidly, reading his thoughts as he approached the group casually.

Ben was so used to Lucas being able to read him that he did not bat an eyelid at the comment and just nodded, then signalled for him to join them.

'I'm surprised to see you out so early on your day off, usually that little wife of yours keeps you under lock and key until late in the morning...Trouble with your soulmate?' Billy mocked, then laughed at Lucas' clear irritation.

Lucas inhaled deeply and watched as Caleb rode his new bicycle with Ben Jr. 'No trouble friend, just takin' in the morning air with my eldest...You got a problem with that?' he asked curtly, not taking his eyes off his boy.

Ben let out an exasperated breath, then picked Izzy up and began walking towards the swings. 'Come on Princess, I can think of a million other places you wanna be than here right now' he said forcing a happy tone, then shot Billy an irritated look.

'Look's like you offended someone' Lucas advised smugly, then leaned back on the long bench and glanced around the busy park filled with children playing with their Christmas gifts.

Billy let out a small laugh and shook his head. 'I don't have a problem and I'm not trying to offend, I'm just making and observation is all' he explained and watched Ben pushing Izzy on the swing carefully.

'Instead of concernin' yourself with my life, take a look at your own...You don't have kids or any responsibilities that require you to be up this early, what are you doin' here?' Lucas asked knowingly.

Billy inhaled deeply then let out a long frustrated breath. Selena had been unbearable over the festive period, demanding all of his attention and overreacting when he had chosen to have Christmas dinner with Lucas and his invitation had come from Gail rather than and that made it all the more enticing. Gail had been his friend long before Lucas had and the fact that she had wanted him to spend the holiday with them, indicated she may have finally forgiven him for betraying her to Lucas when she was pregnant with Luke.

Selena had not taken well to his disappearance on Christmas day, especially when she had not been extended the invite. Her jealous nature had reared it's ugly head once again and he found himself having to justify his relationship with her. Billy was struggling to remember the reason they had gotten back together. He remembered going to her when she was at her most vulnerable, at the request of Gail; however, his favour to Gail did not require him to stay this long and truthfully, Selena's efforts in the bedroom did not distract him from her craziness anymore.

Lucas could not hold in his laughter any longer, as he sensed his friends thoughts. Poor Selena tried so hard to be loved, she would do things that she never thought she would be capable of just to get some kind of intimacy; however, in the end her unwavering need for attention and her jealousy repelled any genuine suitor, leaving her to revel in her own self pity alone.

Selena had been convenient for a number of years, turning men to his favour who would not normally get in line. She had been loyal, willing to try anything to please him and even enjoyed getting her hands dirty in the process; however, he had never intended to fully commit to her. She was a means to an end and her use diminished once his true love had given herself over to him fully, now Selena was a broken empty shell yearning to be filled and the thought amused him.

Billy turned towards Lucas, who could not stop laughing and narrowed his eyes at him. 'Care to share the joke?' he asked flatly.

Lucas smiled and shook his head. 'We need to get you a good girl that you can sink your teeth into, the one you're with is beneath you and I'd say your saintly duties have gone on long enough' he smirked.

Billy was about to protest in Selena's defence, when he realised he had no comeback. The realisation of that made him sad and he could not understand why.

'It's like puttin' down a loyal incompetent puppy. You can't blame the puppy for being who they are, but you can't let yourself be dragged down by the needs it demands of you' Lucas explained and grabbed Billy's shoulder reassuringly, before getting up and walking towards Ben.

Billy sat for a moment stewing on Lucas' words, then decided to follow his friend and put his damaged relationship out of his mind.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Lucas drove down Main Street, listening to Billy ramble on about Selena and watched his townspeople wander the streets. While he attempted to drown Billy out, he wondered what it would be like to lead such a mundane existence like some of his constituents; however, the thought made him laugh and he shook his head for even contemplating the idea. Lucas did not have a simple bone in his body and he would not have it any other way, if his life was as mundane as some people he knew then he would have eaten a shot gun by now.

Billy stopped mid sentence when he heard Lucas' chuckle and was about to question what was amusing, then he spotted the familiar blood red Mustang parked outside of the Trinity Guardian building up ahead. 'You let her out to work at this time of year? That fortune of yours drying up Buck?' Billy asked sarcastically.

'I most certainly did not and you wish Billy boy' Lucas smirked, then pulled into the parking bay next to Gail's Mustang and exited his car. He did not bother waiting for Billy to catch up and proceeded to enter the building, nodding courteously towards the large security guard behind the front desk.

'Happy holidays Sheriff, you got plans for the New Year?' Clive asked from behind the desk, not expecting more visitors today.

'Only to drag my wife outta work and back home where she belongs. You have a good one Clive' Lucas waved, then headed towards the elevators with Billy rushing up behind him.

Billy got into the elevator just in time before the door closed, then let out a quick breath. Lucas had not given him time to think before rushing off and now that they were waiting patiently for the elevator to take them to the tenth floor, he realised the mistake they were making. 'She's gonna be pissed that you interrupted her if she's busy, you know that right?' he warned.

Lucas continued to stare at the small screen to the side of the door, watching the floors tick up slowly and let out a small laugh. 'My wife doesn't need to work full stop, she certainly ain't workin' through the holiday season regardless of how busy she may think she is' he stated bluntly, then smiled when the elevator door opened and headed straight for Gail's office.

Billy picked up his pace again to keep up with Lucas and grabbed his friends arm as he entered the large main office area. 'You think she's gonna take well to you making a scene in front of her colleagues?' Billy asked, trying to talk some sense into him.

Lucas looked down at the arm gripping his and waited patiently for it to be removed. When Billy realised what he was doing and released his grip, Lucas nodded towards the empty main office and backed up a few steps. 'What scene friend? You think I run a town where people are away from their families for the holidays? You're in Trinity and this place of work should be closed. When I find out who decided otherwise, I'll have to remind them of breakin' the rules in my town' Lucas advised, then turned back towards his desired destination and walked through the deserted office.

Billy rolled his eyes at Lucas' bravado and tried to remind himself why he called this man his friend. He followed Lucas through the office then stopped for a moment when he realised the office was not completely deserted and nodded towards Christie, who was sat towards the centre of the room. He smiled when she gave him a small timid wave, then turned back towards the door Lucas had headed through and took a deep breath.

Gail sat with her head resting on the keyboard in front of her computer, frustrated with the lack of news in this town. She had wanted a break from the crazy situation at her home and had jumped at the chance to cover the skeleton crew shift for today, when her Editor Mark had called and asked for her assistance.

Mark had been surprised at her willingness to contribute, especially when she had roped Christie into the shift as well. Gail had not wanted to be alone and having her old friend in fairly close proximity meant she could bounce any ideas off of her, should anything news worthy pop up. It also meant that she was able to negotiate better time off options for Christie with Mark, seen as she had neglected her friend in the past few months due to their disagreements.

'Neglected? That's the understatement of the century' Lucas laughed, as he leaned against the wall and watched her carefully. She clearly did not look happy here; therefore, he was curious as to why she had subjected herself to work when there were other more enjoyable things she could be doing.

'Because my enjoyable thing was cut short this morning and I don't have the patience, or the mentality to deal with our intruders right now' she sighed, disregarding his comment and raising her head to stare irritated at the blank word document on her monitor.

Lucas smiled mischievously and walked towards her, then took her hand and pulled her up to him. He led her to the front of her desk, then pushed her down gently to a sitting position and ran his hands up her bare legs until he reached under her short skirt. 'You think I'd allow our enjoyable thing to go uncompleted Mrs Buck? You don't seem to know me at all' he whispered sarcastically, as he carefully removed her panties and placed them into his pocket.

'I think you should remember you're in my place of work and we aren't exactly alone' she advised and nodded towards Luke, who was sat in the middle of the office on his mat and was watching them intently.

The desire in Lucas' eyes grew more intense and he pulled her legs open, gripped her hips then lifted her up and smiled when she wrapped her legs around his waist. 'A boy should know where he came from, but if that bothers you...' he trailed off knowingly, then nipped at her lips as he waited a second for Billy to enter the office.

'Oh for God's sake!' Billy exclaimed when he realised what he had walked in on and went to Luke, picked him up carefully and left the office quickly, closing the door on his way out.

Gail could not contain her laughter, then shook her head in mock disapproval. 'I'm sure babysitting was not his intended activity when he decided to keep you company today'

'The man is in an overly paid position that I allowed him to have without the proper experience, on your recommendation of course. He can handle watchin' our boy for spell while I punish his Mother for workin' on her day off...Now, where were we earlier?' he asked with a wicked grin, then began kissing her passionately.

Billy stared at the closed office door for a few moments in disbelief, then turned towards Christie and began walking towards her. When he heard a thud on the window of Gail's office and glanced over his shoulder to see the crushed blinds, he let out a small laugh and shook his head.

Christie spotted the shape of her friends back on the crushed blinds and fixed her eyes to the computer screen. She knew exactly what they were doing in the Gail's private office and was trying not to to bring attention to it.

Billy perched himself on the edge of Christie's desk and opened his mouth to talk, when another loud thud on the glass of Gail's private office travelled through the room and he heard Lucas' loud moans.

Christie's eyes grew wide for a moment at the sound of her friends moans and she could not believe what she was witnessing. She turned towards Billy in acknowledgement of the uncomfortable situation, then they both began laughing and the atmosphere softened.

'I bet this isn't how you thought your day would go' Billy stated as he ran his hand through his hair uncomfortably, when the moans became louder.

Christie had never witnessed her oldest friend behaving in such a brazen manner and shook her head in disbelief. 'I have to say when Gail called me in today, I honestly didn't envision finding out how well her husband can satisfy her, or how well she satisfied him for that matter' she said sarcastically when Lucas called out Gail's name, then glanced over her shoulder at Lucy to ensure her attention was still on the game she had put on a nearby computer for her.

Billy nodded and lifted Luke over his head, in an attempt to entertain him. He glanced at the window of the office and saw the blinds as they should be; however, a loud bang came from the closed door, indicating Lucas had decided to change location. 'Well if it's any consolation, at least we can feel inadequate together' Billy shrugged, not amused at the position he had been put in.

'I am in good company' Christie smiled, then bit her lip when she heard Gail let go and took Billy's arm to lead him further down the room.

Gail scraped her long nails down Lucas' back, then slapped his face hard as she tried to catch her breath.

'What did I do?' he asked in mock shock, feigning innocence.

'Since when do we allow the whole world to hear what we're doing?' she asked, annoyed at her own lack of control.

Lucas stroked her back tenderly, then walked to the couch in the middle of her office while still inside of her and sat down carefully. 'Since when do we get a chance to let go without being surrounded by our children, or our work colleagues?' he asked amused.

Gail inhaled deeply in an attempt to slow her heart rate, then realised she was straddling him and automatically began to move up and down slowly. 'There are people here Lucas' she advised and bit her lip as an intense burst of pleasure surged through her.

'So let's give them somethin' to strive for' he said devilishly, then thrust his hips up to push himself deeper inside of her.

Gail let out a loud moan and shook her head. 'You're terrible' she advised in mock scorn.

'And you're wicked' he retorted sarcastically, then called out her name as a surge of pleasure burst through him.

Gail liked the thought of not having to hide their enjoyment, it had been a while since they could experience each other in such an open way. This excited her and she decided to go with it, knowing Lucas would find ways to make her give in anyway if she tried to resist. She relaxed her usual control over her body and allowed him to take her fully. She sensed how much he was enjoying this and they both called out at the intensity of their union.

Lucas called out her name as he erupted inside of her and smiled when he heard his name on her lips, then began kissing her forcefully. This is what Billy was missing with Selena, a true animal connection and it would do his friend some good to hear what true soulmates experienced.

Gail read his mind while his guard was down and rolled her eyes, of course there was a lesson in here somewhere. She kissed him passionately for a few minutes, then pulled out of the embrace and carefully stood up to clean herself off.

'I don't want you workin'' Lucas said seriously, as he began to redress.

'I don't want your Father in my home, but I don't appear to have a choice do I?' she replied cattily, then gave herself a mental shake as she knew this was not his fault.

Lucas watched her curiously for a moment, then stood up and shook his head in disbelief. 'Just my Father? You can't seriously enjoy Peter bein' around? That man is a cockroach who beat you on countless occasions'

'He beat my Mother, not me' she corrected him, as she smoothed down her skirt and made herself presentable 'I'm sure he tortured me in a lot of cruel ways, but he never raised his hand to me in the way you're suggesting. Not that my past is any of your business, so drop it'

Lucas sensed the conflict inside of her and began to get agitated. He supposed the man was her Father and she had worshipped him for so many years before discovering the truth; however, Lucas had believed he had previously cut that cancer out of her when he showed her what he had done to her Mother and this conflict within her would not do.

'I'm not stupid Lucas, they both have to go' she snapped, reading his mind. She knew her Father was poison and she still did not understand the true extent of the abuse he rained upon her as a child, as she had buried it deep down. Gail did not want either Father around their children and regardless of her conflicted feelings, she as not blind to the damage her Father could cause.

Lucas let out a relieved breath, then approached her and took her into his arms. 'I'll deal with it, I don't want you to worry' he whispered reassuringly.

Gail shook her head and let out a long sigh, then forced a wary smile. 'Come on, we better check on our company' she ordered, then dragged him out of her office and headed towards Billy.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Caleb rode happily down the street with Ben Jr, then stopped at his home and signalled for the older boy to follow him into the garden. They both placed their bikes down carefully and Caleb laughed at the look of awe on Ben Jr's face. 'You can close your mouth now, it's only a house' he smiled, then started walking towards the side porch.

Ben Jr shook his head at how silly he must have looked, gawping at the large building in front of him. This was the Sheriff Buck's home after all and it should not make him regard Caleb any differently. He spotted his friend had headed towards a door at the side of the property and rushed to catch up to him. He did not want to be caught out here on his own by the Sheriff, especially with what his other Daddy had stated about Lucas Buck.

'And what's that?' Caleb asked defensively, reading his mind.

Ben Jr stared in shock at Caleb for a moment, then guessed he must have spoken out loud. 'My other Daddy says the Sheriff is a monster and caused the accident that made him lose his hand' he said quietly.

'How would he do that?' Caleb asked in disbelief, feeling that was the correct reaction to the statement. He did not doubt Lucas could cause whatever he wanted; however, he would never allow any of his friends to know that.

Ben Jr just shrugged and glanced curiously into the dark corridor when Caleb opened the door.

'You wanna come in for a drink? Lucas is my Daddy now and he won't mind' Caleb advised, then entered his home casually.

Ben Jr paused for a moment, knowing either of his Daddy's would not approve of this action; however, his curiosity got the better of him and he followed Caleb in.

Caleb gave Ben Jr a tour of the main rooms that he was allowed to go in and kept away from the darker, quieter area of the property. When he had proudly given the tour, they both headed to the kitchen and he poured them a glass of apple juice.

'You wanna ride to Johnson's Bridge?' Ben Jr asked, hoping to spend more time with Caleb. He liked him a lot and although he was a year older than Caleb, he found they had a lot in common.

Caleb thought for a moment, then shook his head. 'I guess I better go check on Josh, he's still sad at losin' his Daddy and he doesn't wanna talk to anyone but me these days'

Ben Jr stared at his hands disappointed, then downed his drink and decided to go ride by himself. As he left the kitchen and started walking out of the Study, he heard the loud crash of breaking glass and a low thud. He rushed back to the kitchen to see Caleb laying on the marble floor with blood seeping from his head and a strange man stood over him.

'Don't worry little boy, he had an unfortunate spill and hit his head. I'm his Uncle and I'll take care of him for here on' Peter forced a warm smile and signalled for the boy to leave them.

Ben Jr did not feel right leaving Caleb; however, he did not like the eerie look of the man and assumed a stranger would not dare attempt to enter this place. He chose to trust the man and rushed out of the house, then rode down the street and attempted to push down the bad feeling in his stomach.

Peter smiled grimly at Caleb, as the boy sobbed in pain on the kitchen floor and held his injured head. The boy had been oblivious to his presence and this action was far too easy, especially with the hard marble floor doing all the work for him.

'That's cheatin'' Malcolm advised, as he leaned against the wall of the kitchen and shook his head disapprovingly.

'You're just jealous you didn't think of something like this yourself. Now where was I, oh yes I remember...you little Bastard are the reason my girl is stuck here and is hurting' Peter stated, as he leaned down closer to Caleb and tried to figure out what he wanted to do next.

'What the hell is this?' Gail asked shocked, as she entered the kitchen with a bag of groceries in one hand and Luke in the other. When she saw Caleb bleeding on the floor with her Father kneeling next to him, she placed Luke carefully on the floor away from the glass and rushed to Caleb's side.

'Busted' Malcolm smiled and watched as Gail stroked Caleb's face reassuringly, whilst carefullt examining his wound.

'The boy slipped and hit his head' Peter lied and stood up. 'He's so clumsy Princess, I don't know how you put with him'

Gail cupped Caleb's chin in her hand and stared deep into his eyes. She could see he was trying to appear brave; however, she saw the tears beginning to form in his eyes and took him in her arms. 'It's all going to be alright, it's just a little bump and I'll get you patched up in no time' she smiled and hugged him to her protectively.

Caleb held his cousin tight, then glanced over his shoulder at the man stood over them. 'Who is that?' he whispered to his cousin, confused over what had happened and trying to ignore the agonising pain in his head.

'No-one you need to concern yourself with, now come on' she ordered, as she helped him up carefully and started leading him out of the kitchen.

Malcolm waited patiently for her to enter the Study, then walked slowly towards the abomination left playing with a toy bunny on the floor. He was about to bend down and pick the baby up, when a loud growl came from under the kitchen table and yellow eyes stared up at him distrustfully. The dog barred his teeth viciously and placed itself in front of the baby protectively, then let out a loud bark.

Gail heard Gideon's bark, then Luke's high pitched scream follow and she left Caleb to go to her son. She rushed into the kitchen and picked up Luke, before turning towards Malcolm and giving him a stare which dared him to challenge her.

'You can't have them both heathen' Malcolm spat out, before disappearing.

Gail turned towards her Father confused, while he leaned casually on the kitchen counter and shook her head disapprovingly. She wanted to ask what Malcolm meant; however, her Father was just as twisted and untrustworthy as Malcolm was.

'That's a bit harsh petal, especially aimed at the person trying to protect your interests' Peter said in mock hurt.

Gail let out a long sigh, then started heading out of the kitchen towards Caleb. 'You better be gone before my husband returns...If either of you hurt his son, even I won't be able to stop what comes next' she warned, before rushing back to Caleb.

Peter let out a bitter laugh, then disappeared as quickly as he had appeared.

* * *

Lucas sat against the counter of his old friend Abe's Antique Store, waiting for his friend to return to him. The Store was bare and littered with boxes full of inventory, which Abe was currently sifting through in a frantic manner.

Gail had decided she wanted her Uncle Abe close and had arranged for the building next to Lucas' Mothers Wicca Store in Goat Town to be converted into a place where Abe could move his business. Lucas knew how stubborn Abe was and had been surprised at the old mans willingness to leave the place of business that he had been in for so many years; however, now that Lucas was here, he could see the mans conformity was just an act to please Gail and his friends discomfort amused him.

'Don't just stand there grinnin' boy, come help me find my book...I swear this move'll be the death of me!' Abe snapped, as he changed boxes and began rummaging through.

Lucas hopped off the counter and walked around the boxes intently. 'Don't be so dramatic ol' man, you wanna be closer to Gail as much as she does you. This move might do you both some good'

'My Rosie should set up shop next door to me, not the other way around. I'm a cripple for God's sake, she shouldn't be puttin' me through this stress' Abe sighed, then glanced at Lucas irritated when he handed him his book.

'You're not a cripple and I won't allow her to move the objects of her obsession, you know that' Lucas advised, as he sat back against the counter.

'Ah yes, your Momma's Wicca Store. I'm surprised you gave a Reporter access to that personal place, you regrettin' it yet?' Abe asked smugly, knowing how private Lucas was.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at his old friend and regarded him bluntly. 'If you hadn't left old family pictures out where she could find them, I wouldn't have had to compromise' he accused.

Abe laughed and shook his head. 'Weren't my fault she sneaked into my attic and found the album with Malcolm in, she's a curious creature. Besides, that was before Luke was born so get over it' he waved his hand in exasperation and sat down next to his friend.

Lucas let out a small laugh, then decided to drop the subject when the telephone behind the counter rang. He smiled when Abe cursed at the interruption, then watched curiously as his friends hard demeanour softened after picking up the telephone.

Abe placed the telephone back down and took in a deep breath. 'Come on boy, it's time to go' he ordered, reaching for his cane and heading towards the door.

Lucas regarded him suspiciously for a moment, then shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. 'I offend you that easily these day's ol' man?' he laughed.

'Your boy's in the hospital Lucas' Abe sighed and watched as his friends features turned dark.

Lucas felt a surge of panic flow through him when he thought something had happened to Luke, then relaxed when he opened his mind's eye and saw Caleb sitting on a hospital bed. He let out a long sigh relieved sigh when he sensed there was no immediate danger for his eldest; however, he rushed out of the Store with Abe to find out what was going on.

* * *

Gail walked casually down the deserted Pier, attempting to decipher the events that had taken place. She had taken Caleb to the hospital to ensure he did not have a concussion; however, when Matt chose to keep Caleb in overnight, she decided to create some space between her and Lucas to figure out what had happened, knowing his reaction to the situation would not be good when he arrived at the hospital.

Gail had tasked Merlyn with getting in touch with Abe, sensing her husband was with him and left the hospital promptly after the call was made. She was thankful that the weather had taken a turn for the worst and that she had spare winter clothes for Luke in the car, to enable her to have a peaceful walk away from everyone else to clear her mind.

'It's a shame you can't talk things over with your husband, it's a man's job to take care of his wife' Peter stated casually, as he appeared beside her.

Gail inhaled deeply, then closed her eyes and willed for him to disappear.

'Now why would you want that? The real reason that you came back to Trinity was for me, Caleb was just an excuse. Now you have me Pumpkin and you're gonna will me away?' Peter smiled, amused at the torture he was inflicting.

Gail was trying her hardest not engage with her Father; however, he hit a nerve and her control crumpled. 'Seriously? You beat my Mother, caused her to be locked in the office with you when it was burnt down and you think I'd be happy to have you here? You're mentally unstable and delusional' she snapped.

Peter laughed and shook his head. 'Lucas Buck raped your Aunt Judith, killed her, killed your cousin Merlyn, tricked you into sleeping with him whilst lying about his true relationship with Caleb, locked your friend Matt up in Juniper, abandoned you when you were first pregnant and glossed over the fact that his son caused your miscarriage, but you married him anyway and still give yourself over to him willingly every day...You think I'm the mentally unstable one here Princess?' he asked judgmentally.

Gail felt her darkness clawing to take control to shield her from the statements; however, she kept it locked away and disregarded what he had said. She was not about to compare the faults of her husband with her dead Father out in the open and she certainly was not going to believe every word that came out of his mouth.

She took another deep breath and focused on her car at the bottom of the Pier, the bright red of her Mustang could be seen clearly from where she was and she picked up her pace, as if the car was her sanctuary away from her Father. 'Why's your partner in crime not here lurking in the wings like he usually does?' she asked irritated, choosing to change the subject.

'Malcolm's bound to that property and I'm bound to you Precious' Peter shrugged, then decided to change the subject himself. 'There can only be one' he said and stared calmly at the waves crashing at the side of them.

Gail felt a knot form in her stomach at the words, then feigned ignorance at the statement. 'Sounds like a line from an 80's movie like Highlander' she forced a laugh.

Peter sensed the statement had rattled her and smiled sadly. 'That was after my time Poppet...Only one in each generation' he continued.

'Stop it' Gail ordered calmly, trying not to lose her cool.

'You asked him, I remember. You weren't as accepting of the forces at play back then and you didn't know I was there, but I was. One what you asked Caleb...' Peter leaned over and whispered in her ear. '...and what was his response?'

'One Buck' Gail whispered involuntarily, as if saying it louder would damn her for eternity.

Peter placed his arm around her shoulder and nodded. 'Malcolm is a traditionalist, so is his son. It turns out that rule has gone on throughout the ages, only one they say...Who can blame me for wanting to give our family a head start' he advised, then smiled when he saw the realisation in her eyes.

Gail closed her eyes at the confession of her Father and knew he had caused Caleb's fall. 'You shouldn't have told me that, he'll kill you' Gail stared up at her Father, unsure why she felt a sudden concern for his well-being.

Peter laughed and shook his head. 'I'm already dead Gail and when your husband arranged for that incident to be carried out by Gage, you weren't in play' he advised and kissed her forehead softly.

Gail watched her Father carefully as he released his arm from her shoulders, then bent down and tucked in the blanket which had come lose from around Luke. If he expected her to choose protecting him over her loyalty to her soulmate, she was not sure that she could.

'This one here is our legacy, regardless of what failings we've done in the past. You remember your loyalties lie with family Princess, just like your husbands and Malcolms does' Peter advised, then stroked Luke's cheek gently and disappeared, leaving Gail more confused than ever.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Lucas paced the hospital room impatiently, while Matt explained the injury Caleb had sustained. It appeared his boy had fallen and hit his head in an awkward way, which is why Matt wanted to keep him in overnight. Lucas sensed something else was at play here and was not impressed that Gail's presence was nowhere to be found.

'I'm sorry Lucas' Caleb said quietly, as he stared at his hands nervously. He sensed his Father's anger and he did not like being the cause of it.

'You've nothin' to apologise for' Merlyn interjected, then shot Lucas a disapproving glance for making her brother feel bad when he was the injured party.

Lucas could not deal with niceties at this moment in time, his blood was boiling at the uncertainty of what had happened and he was frustrated that he could not release his twin in such a publicly crowded room.

'No one's blaming anyone for anything' Gail said calmly, as she entered the room with Luke.

Caleb's eyes lit up when he saw his brother and his cousin. The tension was becoming too much and now that Gail was here, the atmosphere changed.

Gail ensured her guard was firmly up after what her Father had confided, even though she knew this would make Lucas suspicious. She sensed Lucas' anger and stroked his arm reassuringly, in an attempt to soothe him.

'Where were you?' Lucas asked, forcing a calm tone.

'Out walking your son after the scare he got' Gail advised.

'I didn't mean to scare anyone' Caleb waved at Luke to show he was alright and smiled when his brother waved back.

'But you just fell right?' Lucas asked accusingly.

Gail forced herself to remain calm, then took Lucas' hand and led him out of the room, before Caleb could answer. She sensed he was ready to snap and wanted him away from the children in case he could not control his urges.

When they settled in an unoccupied room down the corridor, she stroked Lucas's cheek tenderly in an attempt to calm him down. 'It's not as bad as it looks, he said he fell and hit his head. He was riding for a while and skipped lunch, he was probably just light headed' she suggested.

'You automatically assume I don't believe he fell?' Lucas observed suspiciously and watched her reaction carefully.

'I assume you question everything like I do and I've already gone down that road' she advised, remaining calm.

Lucas inhaled deeply and nodded. 'Where were our guests when this happened?' he asked, pacing the room slowly.

Gail watched him carefully and smiled at his obvious attempt to trap her. 'I wasn't there when it happened, but when I got home and went to the kitchen, both of our Fathers were there' she shrugged, not allowing him to pressure her.

Lucas contemplated her statement for a moment, then turned towards her. 'What was Peter doin' when it happened?' he asked.

'I've just told you, I wasn't in the room at the time' Gail snapped, then took a deep breath to calm herself.

Lucas attempted to read her thoughts and when he sensed her wall was strong, he let out a small laugh. 'You're hidin' somethin' from me Gail' he accused calmly.

'And you're indicating I'm a liar Lucas' she replied sweetly, not liking where this was going.

'Well isn't that what hidin' somethin' is?' he asked sarcastically, as placed himself between her and the door.

Gail laughed in disbelief when he attempted to block her exit. She was not to blame for what had happened and Lucas' distrust of her was beginning to bother her. 'You're unbelievable' she said, then chose to remove herself from this situation and tried to walk past him.

Lucas allowed her to push past him, then pulled her back to him roughly. He was not finished yet and this play only made him even more suspicious.

Gail was sick of being the one who backed down, she was pissed at being pulled in all directions by the men in her life and was done pandering to their incessant needs. 'Let go of me now' she ordered, attempting to keep her cool.

Lucas' rage stirred within him when he sensed the fight that he had not intended to start and did the only thing he knew to fix it. He disregarded her order and bent her over the uncomfortable hospital bed, then lifted up her skirt and forced his hard manhood inside of her. He ignored her initial rejection of this action and held her down securely while he pushed deep inside of her.

Gail let out a pained moan at his surprise entry and placed her hands on the bed for support, knowing he would not stop no matter how much she resisted. This was her own fault, they had been rough throughout their sexual relationship and she knew Lucas was only doing what he thought would end their argument. She made a mental note to correct his way of thinking in the future and relaxed into the act, sensing that her body had already betrayed her and welcomed the intense pleasure of each thrust.

Lucas felt her acceptance and smiled, he would never want to truly hurt her and although she resisted at times, they were meant to be united and this is what they did best. He continued to stroke her back as he thrust in and out of her, then placed his hand securely on her stomach and pulled her back up to him as he felt their climax rising.

Gail leaned back into his chest and reached behind to his head to hers. She kissed him passionately when she felt him explode within her, then smiled when he rested his forehead on hers and stroked her cheek gently.

'You can't accuse me of lying and expect me to be OK with it' she whispered, closing her eyes as he ran his thumb slowly over her lips.

'Noted' Lucas sighed, as he kissed her nose softly and removed himself from her. 'We need to get our unwelcome guests out, before I lose all control'

Gail let out a long exasperated breath, cleaned herself up then ran her fingers through her hair and just left the room. Her head was riddled with questions about the whole situation and she did not believe she could be of help to her husband the way she felt right now.

Lucas watched confused as she left, then inhaled deeply in an attempt to control his twin. 'Only one' he repeated the thought he had sensed when her guard faltered during their embrace. Lucas did not fully understand what she was referring to; however, he it felt was important and he was determined to find out.

* * *

Abe sat on an uncomfortable seat outside of Caleb's hospital room with Billy, he never understood why Lucas loosely referred to this man as a friend and it bothered him.

Lucas' Deputy Ben was the closest thing he had to a friend apart from Abe himself and that was merely due to the amount of time they had to spend together, after Lucas took pity on him and gave him a job. This out of town Doctor was different, he was overly familiar and in his opinion an idiot. He went for the School Teacher that Lucas had shacked up with for many years, then wormed his way in with his Rosie before betraying her and siding with Lucas. The man was untrustworthy in his opinion and Abe did not understand why his people allowed the idiot to be in their company.

'Down boy' Lucas ordered amused, reading Abe's thoughts and sat down beside his oldest friend. 'How you ol' boys holdin' up? You don't have to stay you know'

'We wouldn't be anywhere else Lucas, not until we're sure Caleb is on the mend' Billy smiled, then spotted the look of disgust on Abe's face and stared at the man confused.

'You're my ride boy, you can drop me off when you feel your eldest's in good hands' Abe advised, choosing to ignore Billy's smarmy comment and confused look.

'Matt's decided to stay with him overnight, so that's good enough for me. You can hitch a ride with Luke and I if you like' Gail offered, slightly annoyed that no one had noticed she had joined them.

Lucas watched Gail intently as she smiled sweetly at Abe and helped him up. 'Somewhere to be love?' he asked curiously, not hiding his suspicion.

Gail let out a small laugh and shook her head. 'Clearly I'm overdue a dinner date with my Uncle soulmate' she stated sarcastically, then linked her arm in Abe's and started leading him away from the group.

'You abandon me just like that ol' man? What happened to camaraderie?' Lucas asked, feigning offence.

'She's prettier than you and you have all you need with your pet there' Abe laughed, then shook his head and continued to be lead by Gail.

'Pet?' Billy asked confused, not sure whether he should laugh or be angry at the comment.

Lucas let out a long sigh and shook his head, Gail had a way of getting all the boys to her side when she tried and his oldest friend was not immune to her charms at all. 'Don't mind him, he's just jealous he's cooped up all day and can't have any real fun' Lucas said, then stood up and signalled for Billy to follow him.

'Where are we goin'?' Billy asked curiously.

'To visit an ol' thorn in my paw' Lucas smiled devilishly, the headed towards his car.

* * *

Billy walked through the deserted graveyard, attempting to ignore the eeriness of the place. When Lucas pulled up outside of the graveyard, he could not believe his own bad luck. Not only had the sun set an hour earlier, the graveyard had nothing to illuminate their path and he began to doubt his loyalty to the man ahead of him.

'Don't be so dramatic, the dead don't roam free in my town unless I allow it' Lucas smirked at Billy's discomfort and kept on his desired path.

'What are we doing out here? It ain't Halloween and I've no desire to relive Night of the Living Dead' Billy said, attempting to make light of his current position.

Lucas located the grave he had come for and shook his head in irritation. He had hoped his love had forgotten about her past duties here; however, it appeared there was no chance of that and the graves of her parents were as well kept as ever.

Billy looked over Lucas' shoulder and let out an uncomfortable laugh. 'Why are we at Gail's parents graves Lucas?' he asked, not sure whether he actually wanted to know the answer.

'To ensure they're still buried' Lucas shrugged, then knelt down and inspected Peter's grave.

Billy watched him for a moment in disbelief, then shook his head 'This is crazy' he stated, then began to back away

'Why don't you head back to the car and wait for me there? I'm sure you could use the time alone to ponder over your desire for another woman we both know' Lucas advised knowingly, fed up of feeling the mans discomfort.

Billy knew exactly who Lucas was referring to and felt a pang of guilt for allowing his thoughts to stray from Selena; however, he wanted nothing more than to get out of the place and took Lucas up on his offer.

Lucas laughed when Billy rushed back towards his car and shook his head. 'You just can't find the staff' Lucas said to no one in-particular and continued reviewing Peter's grave. When there appeared to be no sign of disturbance, he turned his attention towards Christine's grave and ran his fingers across the engraving on the gravestone.

'It was a shame' Lucas stated, thinking back to the beautiful woman who brought his love into the world. Had things have been different, he would have had his way with her too before she had to be sacrificed to save her daughter from the miserable life she was leading; however, he supposed Gail would not have been able to turn a blind eye to that notch on his bedpost like she had done with Judith.

'You're disgusting' came the familiar voice from his past.

Lucas stood up, dusted off his pants and put on his most charming smile. 'Well it's nice to hear your voice Christine, how's the afterlife treatin' you?' he asked sarcastically.

Christine stepped from behind a large tree and stood with her arms crossed firmly over her chest, unimpressed by the visit. 'Sacrificed to save my daughter? Is that really what you tell yourself so you can sleep at night?' she asked bitterly.

Lucas laughed and regarded her smugly. 'You really think I have problems sleepin' because of you? I've done worse things than you can imagine and I have your beautiful daughter ensuring I'm well and truly spent every night...I can assure you I have no trouble sleepin' peacefully Darlin', that's more than I can say for you'

Christine stared at him with hatred in her eyes. This man had tricked her love into killing her, then raped and killed her sister, now he was playing happy family with her daughter and her grandson. It was not fair and her only saving grace was that her own unborn child had been set free when her daughter found out most of the truth about what had happened to her.

'You can't blame me for Gage's incompetence, or Peter findin' that little music box of yours. You should be thankful I sent your love to be with you, otherwise you would've been stuck with Peter for eternity' Lucas advised, sensing Gage's presence close.

Christine smiled at the thought of Gage being with her now, he was not strong enough to make his presence known to his murderer; however, he was with her at all times. 'Speaking of my late husband, I suppose you're looking for him for some cruel reason?' Christine asked irritated.

Lucas let out an exasperated sigh at the thought of Peter Emory, then ran his fingers through his hair . 'On the contrary, that Bastard has found his way to my home and is disruptin' me and mine...I wanna know how he got outta here and you're gonna tell me' he stated in a threatening tone, whilst closing the distance between them.

Christine held his gaze for a moment, then began laughing loudly. Peter had found a way out and she had been enjoying the peace recently. Although she had managed to show herself to her daughter, her attempt to warn her from the dangerous path she was taking in marrying this murderer had failed. It pained h that Peter had managed to hold on to the present world; however, her afterlife was all the better for it.

'What's so funny?' Lucas asked, not liking either of his in-laws very much at this moment in time.

Christine let out a long sigh, then reached up and stroked Lucas' cheek softly. 'If my daughter wasn't so committed to you, I'd rip your eyes out for all the pain you made her endure as a child without her Mother. Luckily for you, she's made peace with her place in life and that place is by her family'

Lucas inhaled deeply, her tone resembled Gail's on so many levels and if he closed his eyes, he could in fact be talking to his love. 'What's this got to do with anythin''

'Peter was very interested in the new addition to your family. I don't suppose he'd talk to you about it but he was very pleased to have a boy in the family, regardless of who the Father is' she advised sweetly.

'How'd he get out?' Lucas repeated his earlier question.

Christine smiled smugly and shook her head. 'A child often craves the worst parent, did you know that? When ours discovered her potential, Peter may have found a way in to bind himself to her, that's my guess anyway' she shrugged, ignoring Gage's warning to sever her connection with Lucas.

Lucas sensed Gage close and shook his head in warning, he smiled when the unwanted presence froze and returned his attention to Christine. 'So he likes my boy and he's bound to my wife, how does that help me?' he asked in agitation.

'An heir and spare, isn't that what you called it?' Christine asked knowingly, not hiding the judgement in her tone. 'I can feel my daughters thoughts and I know Peter isn't alone. Caleb is my family too and you need to get a hold of the situation, before the scales are tipped to your old ways'

Lucas stared at her confused for a moment, then Merlyn words of the past floated through his brain. The heir isn't about to eliminate the competition this time; however, the grandfathers may attempt to even the score.

Lucas rushed out of the graveyard, leaving Christine laughing behind him. He knew what was happening now and he would not allow either Father to win.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Gail stood outside of her home holding Luke in his car seat, as she stared up at the large Mansion before her. She had overcome her fear of this place a long time ago, it had taken a lot of her willpower and she had become accustomed to the protection it appeared to offer her; however, now she felt her old reservations flowing through her and she was not sure that she wanted to enter.

As if sensing her thoughts, the large black front door opened and appeared to beckon her in. Gail inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, reaching down to her darkness for strength to aid her and to provide her with a sign of what she should do next. When she opened her eyes, she saw her past self Rosemary stood just inside the threshold and nodded to indicate her acceptance of the protection offered. She sensed that if she acted like a victim, this place would swallow her whole; therefore, she stood tall and entered her home, safe in the knowledge that it was hers and not Malcolm's.

Gail did not jump when the door closed by itself behind her, she kept her composure and made her way to the Study with Luke. She smiled when she saw both Gideon and Rocky laying in front of the lit fireplace, then placed the car seat down gently beside them with Luke in it and began to take off her jacket.

'My little Princess is home, praise the lord!' Peter exclaimed sarcastically, then sat down on the floor beside Luke.

'If you touch him...' she started.

'I know, you'll send me into a state of damnation and hell fire. I'm not stupid Gail' Peter mocked, then took hold of Luke's favourite bunny teddy and began playing with it.

Gail did not know how she felt about this apparent change in her Father and the overall intrusion. She had initially been angry at him for uprooting her home life; however, she felt herself softening the more time she spent around him and she was not sure whether she liked herself for it.

'I wasn't a bad man sweetie, I was a drunk who knew his wife was cheating on him' Peter shrugged, as he continued to play with Luke in his car seat 'I didn't know what to do to control my anger and sometimes it got away from me...I never really meant to hurt you or your Mother'

Gail closed her eyes at the statement and shook her head. She did not want to hear this right now and if Lucas knew that she was actually allowing an open dialogue with her Father, it would cause more problems than they already had. She wanted to hate her Father, she truly did and his apparent confession only confused matters for her.

'You aren't really fallin' for that are you?' Malcolm asked amused, as he came out of the shadows and joined the group.

Gail let out a long sigh and pulled the clip out of her hair, allowing her long brown hair to flow over her shoulders. 'I'm not falling for anything and you both need to get out before Lucas returns home, or there'll be hell to pay' she warned, glancing around the room in search of a book to read while she waited for her husband.

Malcolm narrowed his eyes at her confused and turned his attention to the kitchen. He was about to say something, then chose to remain silent and just laughed at her comment instead.

'You wouldn't really let him hurt me, would you Princess?' Peter stated, ignoring Malcolms laughter. 'All I want is to be with my family and surely, if the man is your soulmate, he would respect that'

'And all I want is the rightful order to be restored' Malcolm advised feigning sincerity and taking a few steps closer to Luke.

Gail sensed his play immediately and stepped between them. She was not stupid enough to take her attention off of her son and she had suspected Malcolm's move would be made sooner rather than later. 'The rightful order can go fuck itself' she snapped defensively, disregarding her Fathers laughter at the language she had used.

'Now, now Petal, a good girl should mind her language unless she wants her mouth washed out' Malcolm mocked and took a step closer to her.

Gail signalled for Gideon to come to her and stood tall when her faithful companion growled angrily at Malcolm; however, her resolve wavered when Gideon reluctantly moved next to Malcolm and sat at his feet.

'You really thought you could control somethin' here? This is a Buck residence, I'm of the bloodline and you're not, whatever loyalty this creature showed you was due to some miscommunication. You see, he thought you were important in the order of things but it turns out you're just another weak woman who opened her legs for a Buck. Now, I can't blame you for doin' what you thought was right, this second son is down to my boy's unnatural obsession with you and he couldn't help himself. I'm hear now to get him back on the correct path and I certainly won't allow you to cloud his judgement, making him think this heathen child of yours is acceptable' Malcolm advised, then turned his attention to Gideon and signalled for him to attack her.

Gail watched for a moment as Gideon shook his head in turmoil. Before Gail had a chance to summon her darkness and remind him of his loyalty, Gideon barred his teeth at her and she took a shaky step back. She stared at him in disbelief as Gideon skulked towards her, then let out a reassuring breath when when Rocky came beside her and barked at Gideon, making him pause on the spot. 'This is no creature and he doesn't serve you, Gideon is my partner and he will come back to where he belongs' she stated calmly, standing tall and willing her companion to return to her.

Malcolm let out a venomous laugh and focused all of his energy on the dog, plaguing it's mind with orders to kill. Suddenly he felt his control falter and the dog shook his head violently to break the hold Malcolm had on him, then rushed to his Master and lay at her feet obediently.

'Emory's 2, Buck's 0' Peter mocked, still playing with Luke who was oblivious to what was happening around him.

Gail let go of the control she had become accustomed to and let her darkness flow through her veins. She savoured the strength that surged through her body and smiled devilishly when she saw Rosemary stood behind Malcolm. It did not take him long to realise Rosemary's presence and both dogs blocked his exit to either side. He was completely surrounded and she felt his resolve waiver when he realised the power she held.

'You think you can beat me?' Malcolm asked, feigning confidence. 'You're not a Buck and never will be. This is my home!'

Gail let out a small laugh and shook her head. 'You're banished from this house and the garden surrounding it. If you ever come near me or my son again, you'll be begging for the torture Lucas made you endure before he killed when I'm through with you' she whispered wickedly and smiled as his face turned gaunt.

Peter watched as Malcolm disappeared from the house and the mysterious woman who stood opposite his daughter vanished. 'See, the winning team strikes again' he smiled, then stood up and placed his hand around her shoulder.

Before she had a chance the protest his touch, Peter squeezed her tight and placed a kiss on her forehead. Gail was so confused and pushed her darkness back down, to enable her to be able to think clearly. She had gotten rid of Malcolm for now; however, she really did not know if she had the strength to push her Father away.

Suddenly she felt herself being pulled away from her Father and something sharp pressed against her neck. She saw her Father's eyes grow wide and sensed the knife Lucas was holding against her neck. She tried to break free of his hold, confused at what was happening; however, he gripped her tighter and she felt the cold sharp blade harder against her skin, causing her to remain still.

'Looks like the winning team has hit a snag in the game' Lucas advised, staring angrily at Peter and his play.

Lucas had entered the house not long after Gail and had situated himself quietly in the kitchen, wanting to monitor how much of a hold Peter had managed to obtain before deciding the best course of action. When Malcolm glanced in his direction, he thought his old man would betray him and point him out; however, it appeared his Father remained loyal for once in his life and it allowed Lucas to witness what was truly going on.

He had wanted to applaud Gail's play in getting rid of his Father. She had used her power and her connection with her past self wisely, to show him that she was not to be messed with. It also gave him an idea of what he would be up against if he ever tried to take her on properly in the future and hoped it would never come to that.

Lucas had been about to reveal himself when Peter embraced his daughter, indicating they were working together. He had not seen that coming and he could not control his rage at the sight of that man touching his wife, or the thought of all the work he had put in with her being unravelled. Before he realised what was happening, Lucas had grabbed a knife and approached the pair quickly. He instinctively secured Gail to him and placed the knife against her neck, relishing in the panic it caused in his old adversary.

'Drop the knife Buck, you don't really wanna hurt her' Peter tried to reason and attempted to control his panic.

'Emory's 2, was that referrin' to the so called accident my boy had?' Lucas asked, disregarding Gail's past self who had reappeared and was approaching him from behind.

Gail sensed Rosemary and willed her to leave, this situation had gotten complicated enough without her past self doing something terrible in an attempt to protect her. 'You know I wouldn't hurt Caleb' Gail whispered, trying not to move and feeling the knife dig into her skin.

'Shush love, this ain't about you it's about him. You think you can come into my house and hurt my boy, then try to take my wife? I thought you'd be smarter than that Peter' he advised, watching the man closely.

'Let her go Lucas, or I swear...'

'You'll what? Don't you see, I'll always have the upper hand?' Lucas laughed, 'You touch my boy and I kill your girl, it's that simple'

Gail closed her eyes as she felt the knife pierce her skin, when Lucas laughed and lost control of his hand slightly. She bit her lip in an attempt to hide her pain and ignored the lone tear rolling down her cheek, as she waited patiently for Lucas' attention to return back to her. She heard Luke begin to cry, sensing the distress of his Mother and willed Lucas to focus on his family, not some twisted form of revenge.

Peter regarded Lucas concerned for a moment, then his features changed and he began to laugh. 'See Princess, what did I tell you? He'll always choose his first born over you and our little boy there' he smiled and laughed louder when Luke's cries became deafening.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at Peter and shook his head. 'This ain't got nothin' to do with her, it's about you and me' he advised.

'There is no you and me Buck, I'm here because of her and I'll be here until she tells me leave' Peter said smugly.

'Leave' Gail said calmly, finally understanding her place in everything.

Lucas smiled smugly and released the knife from her neck. 'Bye now Peter, don't forget to write' he laughed triumphantly.

Peter glanced at his defeated daughter and smiled. This had never been about the children for him or Christine, it had always been about Gail. 'Remember what happened here Princess' he advised, sensing her pain.

'And remember what I'll do if you touch my son again' Lucas warned, then let out a long sigh when Peter finally disappeared.

Gail stood still for a moment, then began to tremble when Lucas placed his hands on her hips and pulled her to him. She allowed him to kiss the back of her neck softly, in shock at what had just happened. She reached up her hand an gently touched the front of her neck where the blade had been, then let out a small startle when she saw a tiny spot of blood on her fingertip.

'Alone at last' Lucas whispered as he turned her around and leaned in for a kiss, unaware of her trauma.

Gail became aware of Luke's screams once again and pulled away from Lucas' grasp, then went to her son and held him to her chest protectively. Her Father was right, Lucas would always turn on her when it came to Caleb and she could not shake the feeling of betrayal that swept through her.

Luke saw the stray tear roll down his Mothers cheek and wiped it with his hand, before resting his head on her chest and sobbing as he sensed her sadness.

Lucas watched confused as his love and his son clung together, then went to them and placed his arms around them both. Suddenly he felt a strong force push him back and he went flying into the wall.

'You've always wanted your son, that's all that was ever really important to you' Gail stated calmly, as she picked up Luke's favourite bunny teddy and handed it to him.

Lucas attempted to stand up; however, he felt a force pushing him down and sat still for a moment on the floor. 'What are you talkin' about, we both want our son's and we have a family'

Gail laughed and shook her head in disbelief. She finally had the clarity she needed and she would not be blinded by his lies anymore. 'There can be only one Buck, isn't that right? Well you have your wish and he's all yours now, to do with as you please. We're leaving, enjoy your life with Caleb like you always wanted and leave us the hell alone...Happy New Year husband' she said hurt, then picked up Luke's car seat and headed out of the house.

Lucas struggled to get up for a few moments then released his twin to destroy the force that was holding him down and rushed outside, just in time to see the red Mustang driving down the street. He was at a loss as to what had just happened and although he wanted nothing more than to chase after her, something was telling him to leave her be or their would be dire consequences for one of them.

Lucas let out a long sigh when the Mustang disappeared into the night and walked back to his open front door. 'Happy New Year' he sighed angrily, then re-entered his property and slammed the front door behind him.

-The End-


End file.
